The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-02-26
TWO VALENTINES.

/ q fringe of icicles adorned the steep
cables of barns and farm-h houses.
The big cottonwood trees along the
roadside ratified and shook dismally.
Il But in spite of the cherries pros,
pect, Malvern Traverse whistled
eheerily to himself as he breasted
the driving wind and made his way
through the dry, fast falling snow to-
ward his home.
"Pllput it under her door tonight"
he was saying to himself, with a
smile in his hazel-gray eyes. II
want her to be sure and get it the
day before st. Valentines Day. The
first person YOU see on the 14th of
Fes es,ruary is going TO be your valen-
tins.' That's what she said herself,
and Pm bound l shall be the first one
she sees. If she's willing to be my
valentine, she'll be at the window"
Here his meditations were inter-
rupteG by the sudden opening of the
door as he reached the threshold, and
by sharp voice.exclaiming;
"Hurry in, for pity sake, Malvern,
and don't be letting a snow bank
inter the house !"
And Malvern obedienlly hurried
in as ne answered, with smile:
"No danger otthat, Priscilla. There
amt quite snow-bank on the porch
yet"
"There's mighty nigh it, then ="
grumbled his sister-in-law. "But
you don't seem to mind a tramping
over to the postoffice in such storm,
and all fur nothin', I'll be bound !
Git any letters ?"
mo-" returned Melvern, meekly.
IL told you SOP retorted Mrs.
Precilla, in tone of triumph.
She was a worthy widow, and
welded the domestic sceptre in her
bachelor brother.in-law's establish.
ment with wisdom and moderation.
But as there is no rose within a thorn,
Mrs. PrecilIa's really excellent quail
tiles were rather dlmmed by the pos.
session of sharp tongue.
81 told the TRUTH" smiled Malvern
to himself, as he sought the privacy
of his own apartment. "She didn't
as!z if got valentine, so of course
1 wasG't obliged to tell"
And ca. 2fully taking large, square
envelope froc his overcoat. pocket,
h9tirew out theALontents and exam
ined it carefully.
1t was very pretty valentine,
with a fancy border surrounding a
wreath of fOrget-me nots and orange
blossoms, which encircled a pair of
doves with silver wings, represented
as billing and cooling efectionately.
On the reverse side was simple
couplet in print:
GAS to the oak. tree clings the vine,
So my true heart will cling to thine"
The Simile was not very appro-
pirate one; but in Malvern's eyes it
was the pink of excellence.
He was a very bashful man-so
bashful, lin fact, that he had passed
his thirtieth birthday, and was still
bachelor.
This fact was thorn in the side OF
his sister-in-law, and many and
sharp were the lectures she had de-
livered to him-on the subject; but
alas with no avail. He could have
shoul1ered his musket and gone into
battle withouta a tremor. But when
it came to making love to a pretty
girl. his heart and nerves both failed
him.
And yet Malvern-poor fellow =
was in love. He had of late muster
ed up sufficient courage to escort
Electra Feversham and her stepmOth.
er to church, and to sociable or other
merrymaking, on several occasions
But 20 his misfortune, be it told, he
found it easier to pay attention to the
elder lady than to the daughter
And, as a consequence. the gossips o
the town had begun to connect hi,
name with that of Mrs. Ignatia Few
ersnam, much to their own amuse
ment.
Now electra was the prettiest cir
in the village, with her coal-black
eyes, and cheeks that matched thu
scarlet chrysanthemums she wore il
her nut-brown hair, while her step
mother was a snowy and not un
comely woman, with a sharp eye t
the main chance, and no decided OBJ
jections to adopting some other name
in the place of Feversham.
Malvern Traverse. though bashfu
was not wanting in decision, and h,
had recently determined that if h,
could only be reason ably we'll assur
ed that Electra would not refuse hin